Guidelines for October Synod Released

(12 June 08 - RV)The working guidelines for October’s Ordinary General Assembly for the Synod of bishops were published Thursday.

The Synod will take place October 5 to 26 and has as it’s theme “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church”.

Presented on Thursday as a “re-elaboration of the Vatican II constitution Dei Verbum”,
the guidelines, or Instrumentum laboris are divided into three parts: the mystery of the word of God, the Word of God in the Life of the Church and the Word of God in the mission of the Church.

Secretary general of the Synod, Archbisop Nikola Eterović, remarked that the main aim of the October meeting will be promote a better knowledge and understanding of Scared Scripture among Catholics.

He underlined that while the bible is the biggest selling book in the world, it is not widely read and worse still, not always correctly understood.

The guidelines, which have been issued to all those attending the Synod, call for greater reflection on the bond between Tradition, Bible and Teaching to further correct ecclesial understanding of the Sacred Scripture.

Archbishop Eterović said the Synod proposes greater analyses on the unity between the bread of the Word and the Eucharist, with particular emphasis on how the Gospel creates communion, inspires charity in favour of the materially and spiritually poor and how when practised, the Word of God can transform the lives of those who listen and believe.

Synod fathers now have until October to dwell on these working guidelines before they will be called to the Vatican for three weeks of debate and reflection on spreading the Word of God in the third Millennium.